Letter Re: Pre-1899 Antique Guns and The Black Letter Law

Hello Mr. Rawles,      
I’ve been using your Pre-1899 FAQ web page to advise many auction sellers from whom I buy [Federally exempt] antique guns.

You invited comments or questions so here is my latest problem: An auction gallery in Indiana offered a pre-1899 S&W .32 Hammerless for sale. I won the item at auction and the gallery owner is of the opinion that State law prevents him from mailing the item to a non-FFL holder because it uses a currently available metallic cartridge even if it is pre-1899.

But when I go to what seems to be the state law in question it says:

“Antiques and Replicas — The chapter of Indiana’s code concerning regulation of handguns does not apply to any firearms not designed to use fixed ammunition or any firearms made in or before 1899…”

[Some deleted, for brevity.]

I would appreciate any light you could shed on this matter so that trade of antique weapons be not limited any more than what is required by the law.

Yours truly,  – Jim in Georgia

JWR Replies: You are not alone. I get several e-mails like yours each year. I also very regularly see online gun auctions listed where a do-gooder seller tries to amplify the law.  (With phrases like: “This gun is pre-1899 but for me to deliver it you need to have an FFL.”) What nonsense! The law is the law.

In your instance, you note that the Indiana law states: “…not designed to use fixed ammunition or any firearms made in or before 1899.” [Emphasis added.] The operative word here is “or”, so the law exempts pre-1899 from paperwork requirements. Clearly, guns in both categories–both muzzleloaders and pre-1899 guns–are considered exempt.

One of the precepts of jurisprudence is the phrase: ‘The black letter law”, which is a terse way of stating:  The law is what the law says in black and white–no more and no less. The written law is generally unambiguous and known to all intelligent readers with a basic grasp of the language and therefore is free from any doubt or dispute.

I’d recommend that you bid only on auctions where the seller states forthrightly: “Pre-1899, no FFL required.”

If the sellers wants to ask for proof of majority (adult age), and a signed statement that you are eligible to buy the antique gun, then so be it. Those are reasonable protections for the seller. But for someone to insist that a non-FFL item be logged through an FFL bound book is idiotic.  Is it legal or proper to log a BB gun or an iPod, or an automobile through an FFL bound book and Form 4473 “Yellow Forms”?  NO!  Neither should you log an antique gun that is built on an original 1898 or earlier receiver.  In the eyes of the law, a pre-1899 “antique” is not a firearm. It is outside of Federal jurisdiction, plain and simple.

To voluntarily self-impose extra restrictions is, to quote my handy thesaurus: “abject, adulatory, bootlicking, bowing, brownnosing, cowering, crawling, cringing, ingratiating, kowtowing, obsequious, parasitic, prostrate, scraping, servile, slavish, sniveling, spineless, submissive, subservient, and sycophantic.” Pre-1899 antiques are one part of our lives where we can fully enjoy our liberty. For those that would unilaterally “amplify” the law, I say: Don’t act like a slave, or insist that I act like one!

Disclaimer: I’m not an attorney and the foregoing does not constitute legal advice. Consult an attorney licensed in your own state who is familiar with both Federal law and your state’s firearms laws.

Letter Re: Cold Weather Inbound for Eastern United States

Jim,  

Hope all is well!  Hopefully everyone reading your blog will already be prepped for what is inbound….but in case some are not aware, AccuWeather is predicting incredible cold for much of the East and Southeastern US…all the way to Florida.   Everyone needs to be sure to have water, warm clothes, boots, blankets in their vehicles…especially for those transporting children.  Batteries and water pumps often fail in cold weather and to have such a failure in extreme cold can be life threatening if one is not prepared for the event!    Water in the fuel lines of vehicles will freeze in the next few days if it is in the system.  Treat your gas tank with ‘Heat’ or a similar product.  Keep your fuel tank full as condensation does not manifest as readily with a full fuel tank.  Full tanks of gas are not going to leave you stranded because you ‘ran out of fuel’ either!  

Homes need to be prepped and stocked for potential power outages; vents closed and insulated to prevent against freezing pipes and excessive energy (heat) loss; LP propane bottles topped off for emergency use/cooking; etc.   Household pets and Farm livestock….they are domesticated animals and don’t fair well with cold extremes…the wildlife doesn’t fair as well either but that is another issue.  Water is vitally important.  Dehydration is the first step the warm blooded take on the road to hypothermia.  Shielding against the wind and energy in the form of food for internal heat needs to be addressed as well.   In 10 days you will likely receive updates on “how my preps failed or succeeded when the temp dropped below freezing for five days.” Until then, build a fire, read a book, enjoy the time at home with friends and family!  Don’t forget your prayers…all we enjoy is from Christ Jesus!  – Matt in Tennessee

Letter Re: Get Your Soil Ready For TEOTWAWKI

JWR,

I’d like to add a couple of things to C.J.’s recent article about getting your soil ready. As C.J. says, adding organic matter to the soil is vital for gardening success.  He also mentions that this is has to be an ongoing task as organic material continually breaks down and has to be replaced. One of the most effective and quickest ways to do this for a garden of a few thousand feet or larger is to buy soil amendment in bulk form from a commercial landscape supplier.  You can have it delivered in their trucks or buy a cubic yard of two at a time using your own pickup or trailer.  Since you’ll need three cubic yards of soil amendment per 1,000 ft. of garden, truckloads of 12-to-20 cubic yard aren’t unusual. Check online or in the Yellow Pages  as to where the local yards are and do some homework before ordering.  Many types of amendment are usually available.  You can get well rotted manure, usually cow or sheep as horse manure often contains weed seeds.  Peat moss and grass clippings as well as slaughterhouse waste too, usually in a mix.  My  favorite was ground cow and peat that I used in business in Denver.  The peat moss helped balance the pH in the alkaline soil there.  Your local dealers will have the best idea of what you need in your local. Ground costs more than rough as you might expect but gives a better initial result.  If you do a fall till, then rough is fine since you’ll be doing another till in the Spring.

If you plan of starting a garden in hard pan or virgin soil, or even in a large back yard lawn area,  do yourself a favor and rent a smallish tractor (Kubota is great) with a front end loader on one end and a tiller on the other.  It makes moving a dozen yards of manure and then rototiller it in a much less memorable experience.  Do always carry your tractor bucket low as these small tractors tip over easily. If a tractor isn’t suitable, then use a rear tine tiller, not front tine.

One bit of advice I might also give: Businesses as you might expect get offered better prices and service than do retail customers. They also have access to wholesale supply outfits that retail customers don’t.   If you want the best of both get yourself a business license, which is often a trivial exercise, then build up a small bit of a knowledge base to you can “talk the talk”.    For those with many construction projects on the horizon, it can make a large difference in costs and build quality.  There can be tax, insurance and government regulation issues but these are often trivial as well, so it can be well worth it. – LRM in Perth, Australia

Economics and Investing:

The Wall Street Pentagon Papers: Biggest Scam In World History Exposed – Are The Federal Reserve’s Crimes Too Big To Comprehend? (Thanks to Timothy R. for the link.)

Reader L.V.Z. sent this bit of conformation for the long-standing SurvivalBlog advice to buy physical precious metals and keep them at home: Jim Rickards: At Least One Swiss Bank Has Started Refusing to Hand Over Physical Gold to Clients. From the article: “All you need is a government order and ‘gold’ becomes something that isn’t to be backed by real gold. At which point you’d be wise to have real gold in a treasure chest at home.”

CBS Allows Fed to Spread Disinformation Unchallenged. (Thanks to David W. for the link.)

John R. recommended: Doug Casey on Bernanke: Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid (Part 1)

M.E.W. sent thisone: US Treasuries hit by biggest sell-off in two years

Items from The Economatrix:

From Bad To Worse:  The Economy Today, And Tomorrow  

Big Squeeze is On in Gold and Silver  

Spain on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown  

American Retirement Funds at Serious Risk of Being Seized  

US Military Prepares for Economic Crisis  

US Fiscal Health Worse Than Europe Says China Adviser  

No End In Sight To U.S. Economic Crisis As “Scariest Jobs Charts Ever” Shows Post-Recession Unemployment At Its Worse Since WWII  

Inflation Watch:

The Daily Bell asks: Inflation Bell Tolling for China?

SurvivalBlog reader Jon in New York noted: “Since May of this year, when I got my first batch of piglets to raise, the price for pig feed from my local supplier has gone up from $13 to $14 and is now $15 per 100 pound bag.”

Tighter food supplies, high prices to persist.

Ivory Coast deadlock: Food shortages and price rises

Odds ‘n Sods:

El Jefe Jeff E. suggested this amazing video: A time lapse view of the World. Of course, what the narrator fails to mention is that all that wonderful health and wealth cane aboutr as a result of inexpensive and plentiful petroleum. The post-Peak Oil crash will put nearly everyone back down in the dreaded “lower-left corner.”

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E.J.J. wrote to mention that he liked the copious useful content at the Practical Answers web site.

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Deb J. sent us this interactive map: Diabetes on the March. It is further proof that some regions are healthier places to live. (Note that there may be some inconsistencies, because of differences in monitoring and reporting. For example, the incidence data for Colorado seems out of range.)

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An update to my recent article about the Mayors Against Illegal Guns cabal. Another member was just convicted! Adam T. Bradley, the Democrat mayor of White Plains, New York was found guilty of attempted assault, harassment and criminal contempt. And then there’s his connection to the son-in-law of “former” mobster Anthony Anastasio of the Gambino organized crime family. Hmmm… I wonder how quickly Bradley’s name will disappear from the roster at Mayors Against Illegal Guns web site? (Note to Mayor Bloomberg: It is important to maintain a spotless sheen!)

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“If anything, the private conversations of diplomats and security professionals paint a world even more dangerous than the one we usually allow ourselves to describe publicly. And there seems to be more consistency with this American worldview on the part of our friends and allies than is generally admitted. Quite an exposé. ” – Gen. Michael V. Hayden (US DCI, 2006-2009), describing the 2010 Wikileaks Cablegate disclosures

Notes from JWR:

It looks like my Rawles Gets Your Ready Family Preparedness Course, currently on sale, will soon be going out of print for an indefinite period.  Jake Stafford, the owner of Arbogast Publishing (which publishes the course) tells me that after the current sale exhausts their remaining inventory, they will not be doing a new print run, and the course will be officially out of print.  This is due to Arbogast relocating its order fulfillment operations, and because of the very small volume that this publication generates. Because of the urgency to get your food preps squared away, and because there’s no telling when and if the course will ever return to print, I advise acquiring a copy of the course before the opportunity is lost. 

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Today we present another two entries for Round 32 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round will include:

First Prize: A.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees, in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $392 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A 250 round case of 12 Gauge Hornady TAP FPD 2-3/4″ OO buckshot ammo, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo (a $240 value), and E.) An M17 medical kit from JRH Enterprises (a $179.95 value).

Second Prize: A.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $400, B.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and C.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Third Prize: A.) A copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, from Arbogast Publishing, and B.) a Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.)

Round 32 ends on January 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Protection From Falls, by Big J. in Wisconsin

I have been reading SurvivalBlog for some time now, and I have seen several articles on fire protection, and some mention of chainsaw safety, as well as other notes on being sure to safely use tools.  I have not seen, however, any topics regarding fall protection. 

In the post-SHTF we will be doing more repairs ourselves.  Things like patching the roof, modifying the gutters and downspouts to collect water, maybe installing those PV panels you bought.  In addition, more folks will be hunting, which can mean using tree hunting stands or elevated hunting blinds.  These situations present prime opportunities for a fall that could cause injuries that you don’t want or need in the new world. 

Currently, OSHA requires fall protection for all personnel working more than 4 feet above the floor in industrial settings, 5 feet in maritime settings and 6 ftee in construction.  There is good reason for this, falls account for 8% of all occupational fatalities from trauma, and they can be easily prevented.

Basically, fall prevention and arrest systems are made up of three components:

A – Anchor Point – to stop a falling person, the anchor point must be able to withstand 5,000 pounds of force per person attached.  Many items that we may think are adequate anchor points are not.  For example, your chimney, antenna tower, or vehicle bumper on the ground may not be adequate to provide resistance to a 5,000 pound force.  That is why I recommend that preppers install adequate anchor points on their roofs, stands, blinds, towers, etc., now, so they are available when needed in the future.

B – Body Harness – a belt is not adequate to stop a falling person, a full harness must be worn if you want to avoid injury.  If you fall, and your fall is arrested by your lanyard, and you are wearing a belt, there is a good chance you will suffer internal injuries, (and aren’t we trying to avoid injuries here?)  These harnesses are cheap and readily available.  They can be had for as little as $60 online.  For the most part, a harness is a harness, they all will do the same job, if you pay more, you are probably paying for comfort, rather than a performance during a fall.  There are many videos online that discuss how to put the harness on to be effective during a fall, but I highly recommend training in person.

C – Connecting Devices – these include D-rings and snap hooks that are used to connect the lanyard to the anchor point or harness.  These components typically must be rated for 5,000 pounds of force as well.  Buy connecting devices that are rated for this force, do not skimp and try to use items from your local hardware store.

While the topic of how to use a fall arrest/prevention system is too in depth to discuss on this blog, I highly recommend that readers purchase and learn how to use a safety harness and lanyard as part of their preparation gear.  As I mentioned above, there are plenty of online resources that will give you the basics of use, however being able to put on your harness and see how it feels when properly fitted, and being able ask questions are key to learning how to use a fall prevention/arrest system.  For this reason, I recommend that preppers take fall protection training if it is offered by their employer, whether they will use it on the job or not.  If it is not offered by your employer, it is worth while to take a class at the local tech school.  It could be a valuable tool down the road, to keep you and those who rely on you safe.

Letter Re: The 31 CONEX Dream Home

JWR:
A fellow citizen of the Great White North is building his house, off-grid, out of CONEXes (commonly called sea cans).

Check his web site out, and his YouTube videos (from local television news channels).

My understanding is that he’s only 75% done, but what an effort!  (I’ll bet that having two metal towers on your house would be good for a couple of LP/OP positions..)

God Bless, – J. in the Great White North

Letter Re: Municipalities Raising Revenue by Stepping Up Traffic Violations

Many of your readers have been sending links to articles explaining how bad the economy has been and how much worse it may get.  Some of us have little recourse but to bite the bullet and make do, do without or downsize.  Municipalities across the U.S. also face hard economic times but they have a recourse you and I do not have.  They can raise revenues by fees and fines.  Cities across the country have been increasing fines for such things as traffic violations and many have decided to enforce laws on the books to raise revenue.   

In my small town, I live in a downtown district.  I often park on the main road downtown as I have the past three years.  However last week, I received a $10 parking violation citation for parking in a spot more than two hours.  Now I understand the law is the law, but I have not received a violation of this kind until now.  A policeman came door to door a few days after I received the violation to let residents and business owners know that the city has decided to enforce parking laws.  I looked at the cop and said (in a nice way of course) that I wished he had told me this a few days ago because I already received a violation.  Of course I promptly put a check with the notice in the mail.  

Early this summer, a co-worker passed a state highway patrolman on a state highway.  The cop turned around and pulled him over and informed him that he may now have his seat belt on but as he passed him…he did not have it on.  Now if my co-worker had stuck to his story and insisted he did, he may have received a warning but he caved in and admitted it.  A citation was issued and it cost him $97 including court costs.  Ouch!  

Now none of this really has anything to do with many of the topics we discuss here on SurvivialBlog.com but I thought I would warn others for three reasons: we always want to fly as low under the radar as possible when it comes to law enforcement, we don’t want to spend our hard earned money on violations when we can best use them for beans, bullets and band-aids, and we don’t want to risk having our vehicles towed when we rely on them daily including having to bug out one day. 

My advice to anyone is to wear seat belts if your state requires it, don’t exceed the speed limit (even 5 over will get you pulled over in some communities), make complete stops at stop signs (to avoid ‘rolling stops’), don’t risk avoiding putting change in a parking meter and try to be aware that many towns are now enforcing a two hour parking limit.  

Here are four sites I bookmarked that back up my assertions:

– Mendy P.

Letter Re: OPSEC Issue: Geotagging on Pictures from Smart Phones

Dear Mr. Rawles,

With the proliferation of smart phones, as well as advanced cameras with GPSs installed, people may be giving away more information than they intend to when they snap and distribute pictures. This can be an operational security (OPSEC) issue.

Embedded in the Exchangeable Image File (EXIF) data on the picture, the GPS coordinates of the picture location may be stored for anyone to access. This is especially a problem as people post these pictures online (for social networking, emailing to friends/family, or for online sales, etc.).

This embedded GPS data can reveal the exact location of your home, work, and enable an individual with nefarious intent to build a profile of your movements. A threat to OPSEC to say the least!

Adam Savage, co-host of the popular television program “Mythbusters” inadvertently did exactly this.

Tech gurus and electronics manufacturers are touting it with that famous line – “It’s not a bug, its a feature“

Accessing the data is exceedingly simple if you know that its there.

At least the U.S. military has recognized the OPSEC threat that this geolocation data represents on phones and cameras.

Stay safe, – Christopher T.

Letter Re: Making Low Profile Bulk Food Purchases

Sir,  
Your comment to the article on Budget Survival strategies cautioned about the use of grocery store club cards, as potentially allowing your purchases to be tracked.  For those concerned about this, there are simple work-arounds, and the cost savings of using club cards is usually in the order of 30% to 50% or more.   

Club cards are usually available at the store through a quick sign-up process, and fake names, phone numbers and addresses can be used.  (I signed up for my first club card under the name Georgina Orwell; and with Sherlock Holmes’s “221b Baker Street” address. I’m sure the literary allusions were lost on the clerk who gave me my card.  I used that card for at least 10 years without any problem.)   If  given the option to opt out of mailings, do so, since the returned mail might trigger a cancellation of the card.    Regards, – N.A.

Economics and Investing:

Bond Prices Plunge for Second Day on Deficit Fears. (Thanks to B.B. for the link.)

Nancy B. suggested this insightful piece by Max Hastings: We’re all doomed!!! We still haven’t woken up to how much poorer the West is going to be in the future…

Fleeing the U.S. Dollar: IMF sells 200 metric tons of gold worth $6.7 billion to India’s central bank

Here is a piece by my mentor, Dr. Gary North: U.S. Facing Federal Debt Cataclysm, The Establishment Is in Despair

Ferd flagged this: The Fed Has a $110 Billion Problem with New Benjamins

The Federal Reserve covered staggering losses at American banks

Items from The Economatrix:

Consumer Credit Jumps by Most in More than Two Years  

Eurozone on Brink of Meltdown  

Huge Movements in Silver Comex  

Odds ‘n Sods:

K.T. suggested this video about drunk driving from Australia. If you don’t use a Designated Driver, then don’t call yourself a survivalist. (That’s more suicidalist.)

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F.G. sent this: Was Medieval England More Merrie than Thought? F.G. asks: “Are they readying us for our near future by re-writing our historical past?” Are you dissatisfied working in your cubicle? The statists are saying, “Shut up, peasant!”

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S.H. pointed us to a great compilation of various how-to videos of low-tech traditional skills like fiber arts, and metalworking.

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The folks at Directive 21, well-known for selling Berkey water filters now offer Wise Food storage foods. Just three varieties have been listed on their web site thusfar, but more are coming. Call for special bulk pricing if you are planning to place a large individual order or a “group buy.”

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“The current Irish government has agreed to borrow something like $88 billion euros to shore up their banking crisis. That is about $27,000 for every man, woman, and baby in Ireland, a rather small country with a little over four million people.” – John Mauldin